1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

2010 AC not working on days when temp is under 60 F

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by hornedfrog, Dec 16, 2016.

  1. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I noticed that my AC was not working today. It is 59F here, is that a "feature" to save fuel?
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,520
    8,426
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    You are looking for colder than 59f air?
     
  3. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Just curious as to why it didn't blow cold.
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,520
    8,426
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    What temperature do you have the climate control set at? If it's more than 59F, then it'll blow warm air
     
  5. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    It is set on Low. Usually, it blows cold all of the time on Low.
     
  6. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2013
    1,370
    399
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The Prius hot/cold baffle moves based on the temperature you have set. On the 2013, if you go as far down as it will go, it will always try to keep cooling. When set at a specific temperature, it heats or cools based on what it's reading the inside temperature to be.

    If it never happened before, something has changed, but it's normal to maintain the set temperature.
     
  7. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thank you it is unusually warm today so I will test it out again I have never have the service to the AC on this 2010.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,571
    39,172
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I would think with ambient temp around 60F and cabin temp set to LO, the AC should still blow good and cold. It'll refuse to run the AC compressor, but only when temps are much lower, around freezing.
     
  9. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thank yo. It is working now but doesn't seem to work below 59 very well. It blew cold on a warm day, do I have gremlins?
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,571
    39,172
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
  11. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    3,970
    2,617
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    It always works for me on my 2012 Plug-in, but maybe the compressor itself had become too cold or maybe your traction battery's state of charge was too low? From your description, it's not something I'd worry about, though I'm not an hvac expert at all.

    I used to use my AC in "low" California winter temps as a windshield defroster. I moved to a place with a garage, so I rarely do that any longer.
     
  12. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2013
    1,370
    399
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Have your coolant system checked. Refrigerant leaks out over a period of time (trace amounts here and there), and after 5 years of ownership, you should take it to a trusted shop to have them "top off" and make sure it's working okay. If it takes a serious amount of refrigerant, you might have a leak somewhere. Most all current A/C systems are designed to stop using the compressor when there is a system problem, but insufficient cooling is the first sign of a refrigerant loss (natural or otherwise).
     
    hornedfrog likes this.
  13. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    32
    2
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Thank you.